Ann Emich | Blu Spas Inc. | Spa Industry Consultants

about us | ann emich-patton, senior consultant

As senior consultant, Ms. Emich-Patton’s expertise is highly regarded among peers and clients in the spa industry. Prior to joining Blu Spa’s in 2005, Ms. Patton spent 17 years as a spa director focused on development, management and operations of some of the most prestigious (four and five star/diamond) spa facilities in the country. Her innovative approach to creating highly successful, profit-driven resort spas was centered on blending unique, indigenous spa programs with strong guest service orientation and highly trained staff. Over half of the luxury spas Ms. Patton directed garnered Conde Naste’s “Top Spas” recognition while under her direction.

Having begun her career in 1985 as Corporate Wellness Director for E.I. Dupont’s first onsite Executive Wellness Center in Pennsylvania, she then moved into the resort spa sector as opening Spa Director for Key West’s Pier House Caribbean Spa in 1989. With the spa industry still in its infancy, Ms. Patton opened the Spa at PGA National (Palm Beach Garden’s, Florida) in 1992. Her professional experience grew along with the industry. Her other luxury resort spa directorships include the following:

Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa (Ft. Myers, Florida)
Ihilani Resort and Spa (Oahu, Hawaii), 1999 Spa Management “Spa of the Year” Award
Paris Spa by Mandara (Las Vegas, NV)
Bacara Resort and Spa (Santa Barbara, CA)
Mandara Spa at The Atlantis Resort and at The Ocean Club, (Paradise Island, Bahamas)
Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa (Sonoma, CA)
The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort and Spa (Dana Point, California).

In addition to her hands-on executive spa leadership, Ms. Patton is a faculty member of The University of California (Irvine), having written the Spa Finance curriculum for the School of Business Administration. She also serves on the Spa Certification Advisory Board. In 2004, Ms. Patton was part of the Resort/ Hotel Association Spa Advisory Task Force to develop risk management practices for spas and resorts. She is a frequent speaker for various professional organizations.

Ms. Patton is a magna cum laude graduate of Lock Haven University (Lock Haven, PA) and holds a Master’s of Arts (Education) degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a 16-year member of ISPA.